Israeli deputy ambassador arrives in London

ISRAEL’S FORMER ambassador to Ghana has taken on the role of new deputy ambassador to London.

Sharon Bar-Li started work on Monday and was welcomed by Ambassador Mark Regev.

Ms Bar-Li was director of economic affairs for the Middle East, Africa and Latin America at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the past 18 months.

Prior to that she spent 14 months as ambassador to Liberia, following four years in the same role in Ghana.

Under Ms Bar-Li, the embassy in Ghana reopened following 38 years without official Israeli representation in the country. Her CV also includes diplomatic roles in Turkey, Australia and Uzbekistan.

Ms Bar-Li was deputy head of mission in Ankara for five years, consul at the Sydney Consulate and deputy chief of mission at Israel’s embassy in Uzbekistan.

In her first public engagement in Britain, Ms Bar-Li

Sharon Bar-Li attended an event at Parliament organised by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre and Unesco.

She gave a speech at the launch of the People, Book, Land exhibition which looks at the 3,500-year relationship of the Jewish people with the Holy Land.

Also in attendance were Sir Eric Pickles, and Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury. Ms Bar-Li replaces Eitan Na’eh, who has been appointed Israel’s ambassador to Turkey.